1) Field of the Invention
The field of this invention relates to dental tools and more particularly to a confiner in the form of a cup for combining and discharging dispensed sand from a sandblasting tool used to perform a drilling operation on a tooth.
2) Description of the Prior Art
Sandblasting has long been known to be an effective technique performing work against an object. Sandblasting has long been used in the construction field on cement block and stucco to remove graffiti and other stains. The same technique in recent years has been applied to a dental tool with the dental tool having a very small outlet opening which discharges a thin stream of fine sand at a high velocity. When this stream of fine sand is directed to a particular section of a tooth, such as a cavity, the abrasive nature of the sand will in essence drill away at the tooth and roughen the tooth surface. This type of sandblasting technique is especially advantageous in porcelain and composite repair as well as increasing the bond of dental composites to metal. This sandblasting technique is currently in use as a drill.
One disadvantage with sandblasting the tooth within the mouth of a human is that the dispensed sand is merely discharged within the entire mouth of the human, as well as all over the room, on the patient and dentist's clothes, eyes, etc., and other dental equipment. It is difficult to remove all of this sand even by multiple rinsings of the mouth of the human after the sandblasting procedure is ended. It would be preferable to remove the sand after it has been dispensed without it being freely thrown into all areas of the mouth of the human.
The present inventor has obtained U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,292, issued Oct. 18, 1994 to a device known as a DENTAL SANDBLASTING CONFINER. This device was a substantial improvement to not using any device at all to confine the sand as it is discharged and to remove the sand from the mouth of the human. However, the device of this patent did permit some sand to be discharged within the mouth of the human as it could not all be captured and removed. The structure of the present invention is directed to a device that will be most effective in removing almost all of the sand that is dispensed within the mouth of the human. The improved effectiveness of the present invention is achieved in part by the dentist being able to position and control the movement of both the dental sandblasting tool and the sandblasting confiner with one hand.